An expert Actuary projects that government would have paid up to R322 million for the 143 mentally-ill patients who died after being moved to unlicensed and ill-equipped NGOs, had they remained at Life Esidimeni facilities.
Gregory Whittaker, Fellow of the Actuarial Society of SA, presented his report at the hearings in Parktown, Johannesburg on Thursday.
He calculated the life expectancy of psychiatric patients, taking into account their different kinds of illnesses.
His evidence is being sought to assist in determining compensation for the families of the victims in relation to their claims against the state.
Whittaker says the over R320 million figure was projected based on what he termed normal life expectancy.
“The total present value of subsidy would have been R322 million, which would have implied an average subsidy of R2.25 million per deceased. If you apply a loading of a 120%, so in other words, the average life expectancy is another 14 years, then the total present value of the subsidy would have been roughly R224 million, and then at the loading of 220%, in other words a life expectancy of another 11.1 years for that group, the total present value would have been approximately R182 million.”
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